Articulated connection for railway hopper car

ABSTRACT

An intermediate structure for efficiently joining adjacent ends of a pair of coupled open-top hopper car bodies for carrying bulk materials such as coal, and thereby forming a single articulated hopper car of large capacity. The car is continuously loadable from end to end, is exceptionally stable in transit even when fully loaded and at normal speeds, and is substantially leakproof at joints even while negotiating sharp curves in track.

United States Patent Inventors Kenneth A. Browne Lakewood, Ohio; JamesT. Brown, J ohnstown, Pa. Appl. No. 883,717 Filed Dec. 10,1969 PatentedOct. 5,1971 Assignee Bethlehem Steel Corporation ARTICULATED CONNECTIONFOR RAILWAY HOPPER CAR 5 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 105/1 R, 105/4 R, 105/247, 105/364, 214/42 B Int. Cl 861d 7/00,B61f3/l2, 865g 67/22 Field of Search 105/1 R, 3,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,427,174 8/1922 Stucki308/226 1,490,492 '4/1924 Stucki 308/226 3,396,673 8/1968 Livelsbergeret al. 308/137 X 2,839,010 6/1958 Harbulak 105/1 R PrimaryExaminerArthur L. La Point Assistant Examiner-Howard BeltranAtt0rney.lames T. Seavey ABSTRACT: An intermediate structure forefficiently joining adjacent ends of a pair of coupled open-top hoppercar bodies for carrying bulk materials such as coal, and thereby forminga single articulated hopper car of large capacity. The car iscontinuously loadable from end to end, is exceptionally stable intransit even when fully loaded and at normal speeds, and issubstantially leakproof at joints even while negotiating sharp curves intrack. 7

PATENTEDUET SIS?! sum 1 UF 2 mvmons Ken/rem A. Browne James I BrownPATENTED um 5:97:

SHEET 2 OF 2 INVENTORS Karine/h A. Browne James ZBrown ARTICULATEDCONNECTION FOR RAILWAY HOPPER CAR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The fieldof art to which this invention relates is that of articulated railwaycars, and more specifically to an articulated car of the open-top andbottom-dumping hopper type.

The constant demand of the railroads for larger hopper cars to haul coaland similar ladings has heretofore been attempted to be met by carbuilders primarily by enlarging the accepted dimensions of a standardlongitudinally rigid car so as to increase its cubic capacity. In thismanner the capacity of a hopper car has gradually been raised from 50tons to 100 tons, and even in some instances to [25 tons. However, thatform of evolution has now reached a point of diminishing returns, duelargely to the limitations of the curvature and gages of existing track.These factors impose definite restrictions on the possible length andwidth of a standard car. As a matter of necessity, therefore,conventional hopper cars of large capacity (100 tons or more) nowuniformly tend to have very high sides, raising their centers of gravityso much as to be quite topheavy when loaded. One result is that theyexhibit a strong tendency to rock dangerously on their springs, and evento derail, at speeds as low as about to miles per hour on regular track.A long articulated car of the type described herein is believed to be abetter answer to the problems of greater capacity and economy ofmanufacture, together with safety and speed of carriage.

An articulated hopper car, however, is subject to certain specialproblems not experienced with standard cars with respect to suspension,flexibility, strength and support at the area of central joinder.

For instance, the increased weight in the midsection of a longarticulated car when loaded renders it necessary to provide anadditional center truck to support the adjacent ends of the body units.Accordingly, body clearance above the center truck must be sufficient topermit said truck to swivel freely and without interference fromadjacent parts of the car as the truck follows curves in track. However,the use of a center truck does desirably reduce the turning radius ofthe car, and by halving the distances between truck centers to endtrucks markedly lessens the rocking of the car attributable to staggeredrail joints and end-battered rails.

Moreover, the adjacent ends of the bottoms on each hopper body must beoppositely inclined sufficiently to provide adequate angles of slope forself-clearing of the load when dumping, and they must also support somepart of the load in the articulated portion during transport.

The foregoing factors make it obvious that the sidewalls and angularfloor connections in the articulated area of the car must be of amplestrength, but yet not so rigidly arranged as to prevent proper coactionand flexion. The present car construction meets these specialrequirements.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of this invention to meet allthe requirements above referred to.

Another object of the invention is to provide a strong and substantiallyleakproof connecting portion for joining a pair of hopper car bodies ofsubstantially conventional type to form a single large capacity multiplehopper articulated car which is stable and well adapted for continuousloading.

Another object is to provide means for uniformly centering saidconnecting portion while the car is bending on curves.

Another object is to provide a compact and evenly balanced verticalarrangement for center truck side bearings.

Still other objects, purposes and advantages of the invention will benoted herein in the specification, and in the appended drawings andclaims.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the annexed drawings:

FIG. 1 is an outer side elevation of adjacent ends of twocoupled-together hopper car bodies provided with the articulated sidestructure embodying the preferred form of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective detail view, partly broken away, of thepreferred embodiment of the upper connecting elements of saidarticulated side structure, taken on the same side as in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of portions of the adjacent ends of two carbodies, with portions of the connecting structure therebetween brokenaway to better disclose the construction;

FIG. 4 is a perspective detail view, also partly broken away, of analternative form of the upper connecting elements; and

FIG. 5 is a top plan detail view of the side attachment means for thearticulated center connection of the invention.

Our invention comprises an articulated connection by which a pair ofidentical body units of well-known type are joined to make a singlelarge car which bends at its longitudinal center line while traversingcurved track.

As it is an operating necessity for an articulated hopper car to be ableto couple with ordinary hopper cars in trains, it will be understoodthat the outer end-coupling devices and related end equipment of thiscar are of conventional design, height and arrangement. Also, formaximum economy of manufacture and maintenance, this car includes asmuch as possible of standard hopper car construction.

While it is necessary to show in the attached drawings only so much ofold car structure as will suffice to show the connection of ourinvention therewith, it is believed that a brief written description ofthe entire car will aid in an understanding of the invention.

Each of the above-mentioned body units 1 is basically an ordinaryopen-top steel hopper car, comprising two or more selfclearing hoppersections with upright walls and sloping floors and bottom doors 2 hingedlengthwise of the unit and dumping between the rails 3, as standardizedby the Committee on Car Construction of the Mechanical Division of theAssociation of American Railroads. The outer end (not shown) of eachbody unit I is pivotally mounted as in usual practice on a standardtruck, while the inner end of said body unit is open and is modified asshown in FIG. 1 to permit articulation.

The underframe of each body unit 1 includes a longitudinal center sill4, which member may be conventionally fabricated of a pair of standardship channels welded toe to toe in rectangular box shape. The adjacentends of the center sills 4 of each pair of body units are coupledtogether by any suitable universal coupling or connector assembly, suchas is disclosed, for

example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,396,673 granted Aug. 13, I968 to K. V.Livelsberger et al. Such connector assemblies (not shown) compriseelongated male and female steel coupler link castings joined by avertical king pin (also not shown), which permits the center truck 6 toswivel thereon.

The horizontal side sills 8 of each body unit are conventionallyfabricated of rolled steel angles. Borne upon said side sills 8 areriveted upright side sheets forming sidewalls 9 externally braced byriveted hat-shaped side stakes l0 and surmounted by riveted top chordbulb angles 11 with outwardly facing flanges 12.

The lower inner ends of adjacent body units 1 are provided withtransversely extending triangular car bolsters l3 including inclined endflanges supporting bottom sheets 14 having upwardly sloping surfaces andsurmounted by lateral bearing strips or wear bars 15. Upon said wearbars 15 are slidingly supported the opposite ends of an invertedV-shaped cross ridge sheet 16 which serves to bridge the middle openingbetween the upper ends of the sloping bottom sheets 14 of adjacent carbodies. Inwardly beneath the middle portion of the car, the car bolsters13 of the respective body units are mounted upon rearwardly inclinedU-shaped front struts 17 secured under the leading body unit and similarbut oppositely inclined rear struts 18 attached beneath the followingbody unit. Said struts may be conveniently formed from substantiallysquare plates bent diagonally as shown to form truncated triangularsupports.

The lower ends of said rear struts 18 are mounted, as by welding, upon afirst horizontal wear plate 19, upon which wear plate 19 is also secureda flat baseplate 20 whereon is mounted a standard single roller sidebearing 21 such as A. Stucki Company's Design 656-C. Such a singleroller side bearing includes a roller 21' (not shown) pivotally mountedin an open-top boxlike housing, as shown for example in Stucki U.S. Pat.No. 1,490,492, issued Apr. 15, 1924.

The lower ends of the front struts 17 are mounted on a horizontal plate22 fastened to a second wear plate 23, which in turn is borne upon thesingle roller 21' of said side bearing 21.

The first wear plate 19 is conventionally supported upon the rollers 23'of a double-roller side bearing (not shown), as illustrated in StuckiU.S. Pat. No. 1,427,174 issued Aug. 29, 1922, the housing of which ispreferably made integral as by welding or casting upon the upper face ofthe truck bolster (not shown) of the truck 6.

By the above-described arrangement, the interposed roller 21' of thesingle-roller side bearing 21 allows sufficient horizontal motion andplay between the struts 17 and 18, which interdigitatedly support therespective body units to permit a degree of flexion and relativemovement between side plates at the central area of the car while oncurves in track, while the rollers 23' of the double-roller side bearingfunction to support in line and in proper balance the full weight of thecar on that side in the usual manner, so as to eliminate frictionalinterference with free swiveling of the truck 6 about its pivot point.

In order to permit uninterrupted loading of the car, there are noindividual end walls above the adjacent ends of the sloping bottomsheets 14 on the adjacent ends of either car body unit.

On each side of the car, adjacent the articulated central portion, thefacing ends of the top chord bulb angle 11 and sidewalls 9 of the twocar bodies are spaced apart. The inner marginal edges of said sidewalls9 may be secured as by riveting to spaced vertical comer posts 24consisting of inwardly extending parallel upright pressed zee-sectionsof downwardly increasing depth, although such corner posts 24 may beomitted if it is desired to have the closure means (hereinafterdescribed) in direct sliding engagement with the flat ends of thesidewalls 9.

Somewhat longer than and interiorly spanning the space between eithersaid sidewalls or the two upright corner post sections 24 on each sideof the car, with the inner surfaces of which sections it engages andforms a tight sliding seal, is an interposed downwardly sloping flatside closure sheet 25. The bottom edge of said closure sheet 25 isextended and is bent inwardly to conform to the upper surfaces of theinverted V- shaped cross ridge sheet 16, whereon it overlaps and issupported.

Extending transversely beneath the articulated center portion of the carand engaging and supporting said cross ridge sheet 16 and side closuresheet 25 is a large outer pipe 26, which encloses a smaller inner pipe27. lnside the outer ends of said pipe 27 are welded round plugs or bars28 upon which are pivotally secured socket means 30 for receiving thelower ends of upwardly diverging pairs of suspension arms or tensionmembers 31 such as pipes or the like on the outer sides of the car. Theupper ends of each pair of tension members 31 are provided with eyebolts32 or the like which are pivotally secured as by pins 33 to the adjacentends of top chord bulb angles 11 on that side of the car.

The cross ridge sheet 16 is thus in effect supported by the pipe 26,which in turn is supported by the two diverging suspension members 31running up to the top chords 1]. As the suspension members 31 are pinconnected at both ends, the included angle between them will tend tovary as the car negotiates curves. The cross ridge sheet 16 isadditionally supported by the wear bars 15.

The included angle between each pair of suspension members 31 regulatesthe functioning of the articulated joint. As the car negotiates a curvethe point of intersection of the two suspension members 31 and thetransverse support pipe 26 will either rise or lower. Likewise, the wearbars 15 afi'ixed to the sloping upper surfaces of bottom sheets 14 willeither ride up or down the slope of the cross ridge sheet 16.Accordingly,

the angular change between the suspension members 31 is synchronizedwith the displacement of the body bolsters 13 to insure adequate supportand proper positioning of the cross ridge sheet 16 as the car negotiatescurves.

On each side of the car, being positioned externally of the car andspaced outwardly across the middle of the articulated joint, is anarcuate generally horizontal leaf spring 34 having its outer endsresiliently engaging the opposing edges of the car body sidewalls 9. Thecenter portion of said leaf spring 34 is indented so that it engageswithin an upright U-shaped bracket 35. The legs of said upright bracket35 are welded centrally on the side closure sheet 25 so as to inhibitthe inward motion of said closure plate 25, as shown in FIG. 5.

in this manner the side closure sheet 25 is held tightly against thesidewalls 9 and the corner posts 24 at midheight of the joint by theleaf spring 34. Said leaf spring 34 is held in position by the bracket35 and by the normal forces acting between the ends of said spring andthe car sides. These normal forces are developed by preload forces builtinto said leaf spring 34. The ends of the spring are free to slidelongitudinally on the car body sidewalls 9 as the car negotiates acurve.

Bridging longitudinally between the top chords 11 of adjacent ends ofthe two car bodies is an inverted U-shaped pressed steel upper sidemember 38 or 46 which with its appurtenances has the followingfunctions:

a. Holds the subjacent side closure sheet 25 against the car sidewalland comer posts 24 to provide a seal.

b. Keeps said side closure sheet 35 centrally located between the twocar bodies when the car negotiates a curve or is subjected tolongitudinal impact loads.

0. Provides a bearing surface located midway between car couplers for aclamp on a rotary car dumper if one is employed.

The above-mentioned bridging members 38 or 46 are basically similarexcept in their mode of connection to the two car bodies. Member 38shown in FIG. 2 utilizes a pair of rubber or rubberlike shear pads 36,interposed between its outer leg and the car body side, while in FIG. 4the connecting element is a twisted steel bar of helix 37. The inner legof either bridging member is coped and inwardly flanged at its lowercorners as at 39 so as to engage the side edges of the closure sheet 25and thus function as guide means limiting its range of sidewise slidingmotion at the top of the car.

In the rubber mounted bridging arrangement shown in FIG. 2, a metalplate 42 cemented on the outer surface of each shear pad 36 is attachedas by screws 43 to the outer leg of the bridging member 38, and theother surface of said pad 36 is fastened to the contiguous car body sideby a recessed mounting plate 41. When the car is negotiating a curve therubber will stretch in any direction which may be required in order toallow controlled displacement of the bridging member 38 relative to thecar bodies. The spring rate of the rubber is of sufficient magnitude inall directions so that it will always return the bridging member to itsneutral position and hold the closure plate properly centered relativeto the sidewalls 9 on that side. ln addition to its positioning functionthe rubber will serve as a vibration damper when the car is subjected toa car shaker and also as an impact cushioning unit for the whole bodyjoint when the empty car is impacted.

As alternatively shown in H0. 4, each helix 37 may be formed from twohorizontal twisted steel bars 37' of opposite hand joined together inalignment by a central steel spool 37". The spool has end flangespreventing longitudinal displacement within a bifurcated bracket oranchor block 45 on the bridging member wherein the spool is retained bya pin 45'. Said pin 45' is located to allow the spool to rotate and alsoto move vertically approximately one-half inch within the confines ofsaid bracket 45. This range of vertical motion is necessary toaccommodate the upward displacement of the bridging member when the caris negotiating a convex vertical curve. The spool bracket 45 is weldedcentrally inside the outer leg of the bridging member 46. Each of theouter ends of the helix 37 extends longitudinally between two staggeredpins 47 in a centering guide 44 secured to the sidewalls 9 or cornerposts 24 of each car body. The staggered pins 47 within each guide 44are set at an angle to accommodate the angle of twist of the helix 37disposed between the pins.

With this arrangement, the helix 37 will assume an extended position asthe guides 44 move apart when the car is negotiating a convex verticalcurve or a horizontal curve and the helix is on the outer side of thecurve. Conversely, the helix 37 assumes a contracted position as theguides 44 move toward each other while the car is negotiating a concavevertical curve or a horizontal curve and the helix is on the inside ofthe curve. Nevertheless, both distances from the centerline of the spoolto the helix guides on the same side of the car will remain equal at alltimes and in turn the vertical closure sheet 25 will remain centrallydisposed with respect to the two car bodies.

However, the rubber mounted bridging arrangement shown in H0. 2 isregarded as preferable over the helix arrangement, because of lowerinitial cost, superior vibration dampening characteristics, and lowermaintenance cost.

It will be noted that the suspension of the inverted V-shaped crossridge sheet 16 by the pivoted tension members 31 from the top chord bulbangles ll operates to stabilize said cross ridge sheet 16 in positionagainst the tendency of said cross ridge sheet 16 to tend to rise on oneside of the car and to fall on the other side of the car, in response tothe relative approach or separation of the body bolsters 13 when the caris rounding a curve in track. As the lower end of each side closuresheet 25 is supported on the cross ridge sheet 16, the movements of suchclosure sheet 25 are responsive to the movements of the cross ridgesheet 16 on that particular side, and are cushioned by the resilientmeans by which said closure sheet 25 is connected to the sidewalls. Theeffect of the abovedescribed construction is to provide a flexiblyfloating articulated connection between the component hopper car bodies,which connection provides full continuity between the interiors of saidcar bodies and thereby creates greater capacity than prior heavy-dutycars.

A prototype car as described above has successfully hauled coal ladingsexceeding 122 tons at normal operating speeds, and has negotiated curvesof 150 feet radius without difficulty. The flexible center joint enablesthe entire car to be somewhat over 52 feet long, or about seven feetlonger than most 100- ton cars. Width is feet 8 inches. The length ofthe car is distributed over three trucks on truck centers of 22 feet 1inch, as compared with the two trucks on 36-foot truck centers ofconventional cars. Overall height is l 1 feet 6 inches, or almost 1 footlower than large hopper cars of conventional types. The short distancebetween truck centers and the low silhouette of the car increase itsstability and help to counteract any tendency to rock in heavy-dutyservice. On a weight basis, as compared to a standard IOO-ton triplehopper car weighing 59,000 pounds, this car is less than l0 percentheavier, yet will carry over 20 percent more payload, primarily becauseof its long uninterrupted inside length.

We claim:

1. The combination, in an articulated railway car comprising a pair ofcoupled-together open-top hopper car bodies, each of said car bodiesincluding an upwardly sloping floor and sidewalls, the adjacent marginaledges of said sidewalls being spaced apart, wherein the improvementcomprises:

a. an inverted V-shaped cross ridge member the ends of which rest uponand slidably connect the sloping floors,

b. an elongated rigid member extending laterally beneath and supportingthe center of said cross ridge member,

c. pivotally mounted oppositely inclined outer suspension members havingvariable included angles controlled by track curvature and extendingrespectively from adjacent ends of said sidewalls to said rigid m ember,d. side closure sheets slidably engaging adjacent sidewalls and closingthe space between the car bodies,

e. the bottom portion of said side closure sheets being extendedinwardly so as to rest slidably upon said V-shaped cross ridge member,

f. bridging members mounted to adjacent sidewalls of the car bodiesthrough resilient mounting means, said bridging members having guidemeans to center the side closure sheets with respect to the sidewalls,and

g. resilient means for urging said side closure sheets against thesidewalls of the respective car bodies.

2. The combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein the guide means ofsubparagraph (f) comprises end stop lugs on the bridging members forengaging adjacent edges of the sidewalls.

3. The combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein the resilient means ofsubparagraph (g) comprise leaf spring means connected to said sideclosure sheet and slidable upon adjacent sidewalls.

4. The combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein the resilient mountingmeans of subparagraph (f) comprises rubber shear pads.

5. The combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein the resilient mountingmeans of subparagraph (f) comprises a metal helix having a middle spoolportion rotatably secured to said bridging member and its ends incentering guides attached to adjacent sidewalls.

1. The combination, in an articulated railway car comprising a pair ofcoupled-together open-top hopper car bodies, each of said car bodiesincluding an upwardly sloping floor and sidewalls, the adjacent marginaledges of said sidewalls being spaced apart, wherein the improvementcomprises: a. an inverted V-shaped cross ridge member the ends of whichrest upon and slidably connect the sloping floors, b. an elongated rigidmember extending laterally beneath and supporting the center of saidcross ridge member, c. pivotally mounted oppositely inclined outersuspension members having variable included angles controlled by trackcurvature and extending respectively from adjacent ends of saidsidewalls to said rigid member, d. side closure sheets slidably engagingadjacent sidewalls and closing the space between the car bodies, e. thebottom portion of said side closure sheets being extended inwardly so asto rest slidably upon said V-shaped cross ridge member, f. bridgingmembers mounted to adjacent sidewalls of the car bodies throughresilient mounting means, said bridging members having guide means tocenter the side closure sheets with respect to the sidewalls, and g.resilient means for urging said side closure sheets against thesidewalls of the respective car bodies.
 2. The combination as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the guide means of subparagraph (f) comprises end stoplugs on the bridging members for engaging adjacent edges of thesidewalls.
 3. The combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein theresilient means of subparagraph (g) comprise leaf spring means connectedto said side closure sheet and slidable upon adjacent sidewalls.
 4. Thecombination as claimed in claim 1, wherein the resilient mounting meansof subparagraph (f) comprises rubber shear pads.
 5. The combination asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the resilient mounting means of subparagraph(f) comprises a metal helix having a middle spool portion rotatablysecured to said bridging member and its ends in centering guidesattached to adjacent sidewalls.